


Finding a Home

by ToTheStarsWriting



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Injured Character, M/M, Multi, Original Characters - Freeform, Outside view of Alec Lightwood, POV Outsider, Physical Disability, They love each other, and everyone knows it, and why so many shadowhunters love him, not malec, talk of poly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27044731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting
Summary: Callum Windpeace thought that his career as a Shadowhunter might be over after his latest injury. But there's one person out there who isn't afraid to take in any and every Shadowhunter, no matter how damaged they are.
Relationships: Callum/Mattie/Spencer, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 33
Kudos: 309





	Finding a Home

**Author's Note:**

> This was just kind of an outsider perspective of how some people might see Alec Lightwood and his Institute. It's also a little poke at Alec and Magnus' propensity for drawing in strays. Who knows, I might write more outside POVs, or more of these guys here, all about the ones they've adopted into their lives :)

For what felt like weeks now Callum Windpeace had been waiting for the last of his transfer paperwork to be finalized. He’d been stuck on _less than_ desk duty. He’d been on monitor duty, and even that had been carefully restricted. After all, what good was a shadowhunter watching screens when they only had one eye to do it?

It probably didn’t help that more than a few people in the Seattle Institute were more than happy to find a reason to push Callum to the side. Since he’d come here, he hadn’t exactly been all that popular.

At the age of thirty, Callum was caught between the younger, new generation who were busy getting things done and changing the world, and the older generation that were too stuck in their ways to see a good thing even when it came up and bit them in the face. Both sides looked at him like they expected him to fall in with the other, which was stupid, really, because if anyone paid a damn lick of attention to him they would’ve known just where Callum’s opinions lay.

Callum wasn’t a huge talker, but he wasn’t afraid to give his opinion when asked, either. Though people tended to act surprised when he gave it.

His girlfriend, Mattie, told him it was because looks were deceiving, and shadowhunters were idiots.

“They look at you and they make assumptions,” she’d told him time and time again. “That’s on them, love. Not on you.”

Of course, it’d always sort of been like that. Callum was under no delusions about what people saw when they looked at him. He was big, a little over six and a half feet, with a heavy build that he maintained with good workouts. That alone intimidated people. Add in the long dark hair he kept braided back, and the long beard, and, well, there was a reason his nickname was The Viking.

But Callum had been fighting for a long, long time, and the scars he bore were written all over his body right along with his runes. He’d been told those scars made him look scarier. His new eyepatch didn’t help things.

Mattie insisted it made him look _dashing_. That was echoed by their other partner, Spencer. He’d stroked the scarred skin underneath it – one of the few people Callum let see him without the patch – and declared him just as beautiful as ever.

The people at Callum’s current Institute only seemed to see it as yet another reason to avoid him.

Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to put up with it anymore. Finally, _finally_ , the transfer paperwork Callum had been waiting for had come through. He wasn’t going to be stuck in this backward piece of shit Institute with its asshole Head any longer. Callum was going to get to go to an Institute where the Head actually gave more than a half a damn about his people – be they shadowhunter or downworlder.

What’s more, he’d get to be with the people who mattered to him more than anyone else, and that was worth going just about anywhere. The fact that it was Alec Lightwood’s Institute only made things all the better.

* * *

The morning of his transfer, Callum wasted no time in gathering up his things and jumping the first portal to Alicante. He wasn’t planning on wasting a single moment longer in that shithole of an Institute.

In Alicante he was given his new papers and sent to wait with three others to get the portal to New York. One of those was a woman probably not much older than Callum, who stood there like a professional with her bag over her shoulder and her body at attention. But the two boys between them were clearly new recruits – young and sure of themselves.

“I can’t wait to get there,” one muttered to the other. “I’ve heard it’s a kickass Institute. And we get to train under Jace _Herondale_!”

The other recruit scoffed. “Yeah, well, I’m not sure if it’s worth it if it means we have to have _him_ as our Head.”

Callum looked over and down at the two, and he caught the woman across from him doing the same. They shared a look that clearly said _idiots_ , and then focused back in front of them. Let the greenies get there and see just how easy a time they had it. Greenies were always so cocky and sure that they were going to be the ones to save the world. It took a few missions before it got knocked through their heads that they weren’t the be all to end all.

His moving must’ve caught the attention of the two boys, because suddenly they were both shooting him wide-eyed looks while trying to pretend they weren’t. It took everything Callum had not to sigh. It was always the same reaction. Either fear, which these two definitely fell toward, or an insatiable curiosity and questions about every single one of his scars while they looked at him with pity and excitement both.

A portal suddenly opened up in front of them. The two recruits startled, but Callum and the other woman didn’t flinch. They walked forward, leading the way, and let the greenies follow after them.

Callum was surprised to step out the other side of the portal and find none other than the Head of the Institute himself waiting for him. Not just him, but the man Callum was pretty sure was his boyfriend, Magnus Bane. So far he looked about as pretty as the rumors said he was, and he had the makeup everyone liked to talk about, too. Callum was pretty sure this guy was him.

He was a bit more confident about that when the guy waved a hand and dismissed the portal once they were all through.

“Welcome to the New York Institute,” Lightwood said. He stood tall, at attention, his shoulders squared and his hands folded together behind his back. He looked like a general addressing his troops in a way that had those in front of him instinctively responding. His eyes were cool, but Callum was pretty sure he caught a bit of amusement there when his eyes ran over the two greenies. Then it was gone and Lightwood was addressing them all again. “We’re always glad to welcome new people here. It’s my hopes that you’ll settle in nicely and enjoy your time with us, no matter how long that may be. I promise that so long as you do your best to work hard for me, I’ll do my best to work hard for you.”

Callum and the woman both nodded at him.

Lightwood’s lips twitched faintly again when he glanced at the two _boys_ standing so tall. “When we get upstairs, Jace is going to be waiting for you two. He’ll take you through to Underhill and get you set up in the security systems, and then he’ll show you your rooms. As senior trainer, right now his word is law to you two. If he says for you to do something, you _do it_ , no questions asked. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the two said.

“Good.” Without saying anything more, Lightwood turned and focused on the woman and Callum next, clearly ignoring the boys. Much to their clear annoyance. It seemed to amuse Bane, though, who was watching it all with a faint smirk. Lightwood ignored all of them. “You two are with me. I’ll walk you upstairs and get someone to show you to your rooms and you can take a little time to get settled in. Then we’ll meet up again in a few hours and discuss what you’ll be doing here.”

“Yes, sir,” they echoed together.

To Callum’s surprise, Lightwood shot them a dry look that was only half glare. “Unless you two were demoted back to greenies and I wasn’t aware, don’t call me sir.”

Well, now, that wasn’t quite what Callum had been expecting. Not that he was protesting it. He tilted his head, studying his new boss, and what he found had his own lips curving just the slightest bit. “Noted, Chief.”

The words were meant as a tease – a test. Lightwood passed with flying colors when he rolled his eyes and turned toward the elevator, mumbling “Oh yeah, you’re gonna fit right in around here.”

“I like you,” Bane declared, speaking up for the first time. He had a grin on his face and a warm look to his eyes that set Callum at ease. “Alexander's right – you’ll fit right in around here.” A little side-step put Bane on the side of Lightwood that was closest to Callum, and the warlock seemed to have no issue whatsoever looking up at Callum and grinning even more. He didn’t seem the least put off by Callum’s height or looks, though Callum was easily the biggest and tallest here.

Then again, if Callum were as powerful a warlock as it was said that Bane was, he doubted he’d be scared of anyone, either. No matter how big they were.

The elevator ride up to the Ops Center was filled with Lightwood talking them through some basic procedures. All the usual shit that came with moving in to a new Institute. The speech had that feeling to it that said he’d given it a thousand times before.

Then they reached the main floor, and Lightwood timed it perfectly so that he was done talking when the doors opened.

There was a guy waiting there – the Herondale kid everyone seemed so excited over. Lightwood’s parabatai. His focus was on Lightwood and the greenies, though his eyes did gloss over Callum and the woman. But he stayed back, only flashing a grin at his parabatai, as they all stepped out of the elevator and made a sharp right toward the Ops Center. Callum had had every intention of containing himself, following orders and getting led to his room, right up until the moment they turned into the hallway and he saw the woman standing there waiting for him at the far end. Tall, almost as tall as him, with deep auburn hair and the greenest eyes he’d ever seen, and a wide, toothy smile. The woman was a vision in shadowhunter leathers. _Mattie_.

Mattie’s whole face lit up like those fireworks mundanes liked to celebrate with. She took off like a shot the instant that she was sure it was him. In a display she wouldn’t have dared to do at any other Institute, she darted around the few people dumb enough to not get out of her way and then practically threw herself right at Callum.

He caught her up with his good arm and hauled her up against him, not giving an unholy damn that the others were likely staring at them. It’d been almost four weeks since he’d last seen his Mattie. Four weeks since his asshole of an ex-Head had allowed Callum any visitors during his recovery.

The solid weight of Mattie against him was a welcome pleasure. Mattie often complained that she was more muscle than curves, but Callum loved it. He loved how sturdy she felt against him. Just as they both loved the contrast of Spencer’s more delicate build.

The two drew apart just enough that Mattie could get her hands up to cup his face and yank him down for a hard, fast kiss. When they broke for air, her grin was even bigger than before, and the sounds of the south were layered heavy on her voice. “About time you got your ass here, Callum Windpeace. I’ve been waiting ages for you.”

With a grin of his own, Callum shrugged. “Sorry, love.”

A sound from beside them reminded Callum that they weren’t alone. That, in fact, most of the Ops Center could probably see them, as well as his boss and his boss’s boyfriend.

When Callum turned to look at them, he found Lightwood with his arms crossed over his chest and a barely hidden smirk, and Bane was leaning in enough that their arms brushed together, a much more subtle touch than what Callum and Mattie were sharing. She’d yet to pull away from him. Her arms were still around his neck, and most of her weight was held up against his hip by the arm he had around her waist.

Callum might’ve apologized, but Mattie spoke first, and her voice held a fond, teasing note to it that told Callum more about how she felt about this Head than anything else. “Sorry about that. It’s been a few weeks since we got to see one another. I was a bit… excited.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Lightwood said dryly.

Bane elbowed him, though he was still smiling. “Alexander, don’t be rude. Are you saying you wouldn’t be happy to see me after a few weeks?”

“Like anything could keep you away for a few weeks,” Lightwood shot back, which only made his partner’s grin grow. The man rolled his eyes and turned back to Callum and Mattie. “Don’t worry, you two are fine. Just try and keep displays out of the Ops Center if possible. Preferably in your own room. Mattie can show you were you’ll be staying. I’m sure someone can fill in for a few hours for her.”

That was, okay, wow, not quite what Callum had expected. Though he was even more stunned when Mattie chirped a bright _thanks_ and then tried to drag Callum away, telling him “Come on, wait till you see how I’ve set things up. I’ve even cleared out closet space for you.”

Those words took just a second to sink in. When they did, Callum planted his heels. The look Mattie gave him said she knew what it was he was caught up on. At her nod, Callum’s shock grew. He slowly turned to look at Lightwood once more, who was watching him curiously.

“You’re lettin’ us share a room?” That didn’t make any sense. It was also far more than Callum had thought to hope for. At best, he’d figured they’d be able to get rooms close to one another, and then just pretend that they used one of them. Joint rooms were only given to married couples.

Lightwood arched one eyebrow. “Yes?”

“We’re not married, and we’re probably not ever gonna be.”

Callum wasn’t sure why he was pushing it. But he stood there, Mattie tucked up against his side, and he stared down his new boss with the kind of challenge that had gotten him booted from several Institutes.

Surprisingly enough, that look didn’t seem to bother this Head. Lightwood’s lips quirked up like he was _amused_. “So I’ve been told.” Then he shrugged. “I don’t care what your reasons are for not getting married. Matilda requested the joint room, and she told me you two have been together for fifteen years already. I don’t see a reason to waste a room that someone else could be using when you two are clearly going to stay in one together anyway.”

The sheer honesty with which he spoke floored Callum. He’d never, _ever_ met an Institute Head who not only was willing to allow him and Mattie to share a room, but who was so blunt and straightforward about it.

For the first time, Callum really let himself believe – not just _hope –_ that maybe the stories he’d heard about this place and the man who ran it… maybe they were _right_.

He and Mattie hadn’t chosen this Institute by accident. They’d heard the rumors about Alec Lightwood and the way he ran things, how he was. Everyone had. They were the worst kept secret. People whispered back and forth in other Institutes and in Alicante about what kind of an Institute was run here. There was a lot of negative talk from the older crowd who didn’t like how Lightwood shook things up and changed it all around from what their prejudiced old asses were used to, but the younger crowd – and a few of those in-betweeners like Callum – talked about other things.

Like how Downworlder friendly this place was. How Lightwood judged everyone on who they were as a person, not what their last name was. They whispered amongst themselves in those safe spaces where so many of them had hid for so long, that going to Lightwood’s Institute meant going somewhere they wouldn’t be just tolerated, but _accepted_. Not just for what they identified as, but even people like Callum who were deemed too damaged to work at most Institutes.

If he hadn’t sent in a request here, Callum had known his next step was likely going to be a forced retirement. What Institute wanted a half blind, scarred Shadowhunter with a missing hand? Sure, he had a prosthetic, but in their eyes no prosthetic would ever make up for a real hand, no matter what it was capable of.

Yet Lightwood had welcomed him the same way he’d welcomed everyone else. He took in all the broken, unwanted Shadowhunters and gave them a _home_.

Callum stared at the man and straightened himself up, shoulders back and gaze steady. He wanted to say something, to make Lightwood understand just what this meant to him, but words weren’t his thing. Mattie was always better at that. Callum was better at showing things. In that moment, he resolved to show Lightwood just how hard he could work, and to never give the man a reason to regret taking him on. For now, he settled on a firm “Thanks, Chief.”

The half-smile Lightwood gave him said maybe he understood what Callum was trying to get across there. “Go to your rooms, Windpeace. I expect you in my office at seven pm sharp to discuss your duties here.”

That was enough for Mattie. She didn’t give Callum time to say anything else. She tugged on his arm and yanked him through the Ops Center, past a bunch of grinning Shadowhunters who either shook their heads or outright laughed at them, and off toward a long hallway.

Callum followed after her with a bright grin on his usually serious face.

Oh yeah, he had a feeling he was going to like it here.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading - be sure to let me know what you think!
> 
> If you'd like to join a Multifandom server on Discord, come hang out [HERE](https://discord.gg/82pvdE39fD) in the Fandom Playhouse with me and a group of amazing people!
> 
> Also, though I'm rarely on there, you can find me on tumblr [HERE](https://to-the-stars-writing.tumblr.com/) and say hi, send an ask, or even leave me a prompt if you'd like :)


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